As you know the Washington Elementary school District has been moving towards a return to in person learning.  We thank all of you who took the opportunity to place your preference and then confirm or change that preference. 

As related in all of the WESD outdials, the measures in the WESD communities have remained in the yellow long enough that we are moving cautiously into a Hybrid Model, rather than a Full Traditional model. 

For those who responded that you would want to return to in person, that means your student will be joining us in person after the Fall Break in a Hybrid Model.  The Hybrid Model is designed to maintain safety for student and staff through several mitigating procedures. 

Mountain Sky return to In person Learning Video

Please watch this video for an explanation of the reopening procedures.  Included is information about

Safe practices ( the hybrid schedule, social distancing, face masks, cleaning procedures)

Arrival and dismissal

Restrooms

Lunch and Breakfast

and much more.  

1. Hybrid Schedules

Cutting the number of students in half by creating a group A and group B.  That means Group A would attend in person classes on Mondays and Thursdays.  Group B would attend in person classes Tuesdays and Fridays.  While not in school in person, students will be completing independent work for their classes.  On Wednesdays both groups would attend classes virtually.  We will be activating schedules in ParentVue and StudentVue. 

All students will be given a copy of their schedule in their Homeroom Advisory class when they arrive.  

Here is the list of all advisory classes by student ID number.  Advisory Class and Teacher Link

Yellow classrooms are Team 7B

Orange classrooms are Team 7A                                 Note: the A or B designation is part of the historical   

Green classrooms are Team 8A                                   team names, and not connected to the days of 

Purple classrooms are Team 7/8 C                              attendance. 

We have been given the A and B groupings from our district office based on several criteria, including keeping siblings on the same days even if they are in another WESD school.   

Group A

Students in Group A will attend in person classes Mondays and Thursdays starting October 19.  They will attend their advisory on online on Tuesday and Friday for their daily attendance and then complete work assigned by their teachers during the in person sessions the days before.

Group B

Students in Group B will attend in person classes Tuesdays and Fridays starting October 20.  They will attend their advisory on online on Monday and Thursday for their daily attendance and then complete work assigned by their teachers during the in person sessions the days before. 

All students will have a Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Elective.   Students will rotate among those classes in a five period day.  The classes were moved to be close in proximity, in order to limit movement about the building to areas and allow groups of student to reduce their exposure to other students. 

2. Important requirements for in person

While on campus all students will be required to wear proper fitting masks, maintain social distancing, and wash hands regularly.  We will be placing more information about our social distancing procedures on our website.

3.  COVID-19 Parental Acknowledgment – Disclosure

Before attending in person, parents must check ParentVue to read and acknowledge the in person procedures and policies.  If you have not acknowledged the 2020-21 Parent Student Handbook agreement, you must complete that first. 

4.  School hours

School will begin at 8:55 a.m. and dismiss at 4:00 p.m.   Gates and entrances will open after 8:30 a.m. Students will be screened at the perimeter (temperature check, questions regarding current health conditions – fever, cough, etc.).  Students, who have a 100.4 temperature or higher, or respond ‘yes’ to any of the screening questions, will be taken to a private room until a parent can come and pick up the student. 

5.  Transportation

For students riding the bus, WESD transportation services have sent letters to your address in our system.  They should arrive in the next day or two with bus stop times and locations. 

        Bus Stops and Times

6.  Arrival to school during the Hybrid Model

Please refer to the map below.  Students will be screened at five locations.  1. Bike Rack, 2. Bus Bay, 3. Front Gate, 4. Greenway drop off, and 5. Front office - for late arriving students only.   

7. Technology

In order to complete assignments during the independent workdays and the Wednesday virtual days, students will need to bring charged Chromebooks back and forth.  We ask that families make sure to provide a secure way for students to transport those items (for example a backpack).   

8. Water bottles

In order to mitigate exposure risks from touchpoints such as drinking fountain, students are asked to bring water bottles.   We have been directed to turn off drinking fountains.  We want students to stay hydrated. 

We very much look forward to seeing your student in person.  We wish we were able to do more in person prior to opening, but we will do our best to prepare you through information on this page of our website. 

9. Hybrid Times

As you look at the following schedule remember Mountain Sky is grouped into academic teams normally.  7A F.I.R.E., 7B S.T.A.R.S., 8A W.I.N.G.S., and 8B Talons.  Please do not confuse the team names with the A and B with days.  They are not related.   I order to accommodate many needs and distancing numbers, we created a fifth team, just for this time period.  That team is a combination of 7and 8 students.  We are calling them "C" team as they are in building C and it works with the previous A and B team names.   

This schedule is for both A and B days.  

On Wednesdays, the classes will all be on line.  Here is that schedule. Teachers will share with their students on Day A and B how to connect to those classes.  

For students who will be continuing with the extended learning model.  Teachers will be contacting you soon.  

These are the times for classes.  Students will not have 10 classes.  They will only have their four core classes with many gaps between to complete assignments.  

Shift back to Distance Learning January 2021

In response to the increase of cases of COVID within surrounding communities, the Washington Elementary School District has decided that all WESD school return to distance learning for all Hybrid students.  We have greatly appreciated all of the students who have done their best to adhere to the safe practices while in the hybrid model.  We are saddened by this new, but hope to continue to serve our students and work with the relationships we establish during the second quarter.   Starting Monday, January 4, Mountain Sky will continue forward into as two schools: 

1. Mountain Sky Online Virtual – students who chose to remain online for 3^nd Quarter.  Their schedules will remain the same and they will continue to attend classes online.  This shift will mean little to no change for our students who have already remained online.

2. Mountain Sky Distance Learning – the students who have been in the hybrid model will move to online.  The current hybrid schedule is built to shift from in person to online, so there should be minimal changes.  Hybrid students will stay in the same schedule and classes.  Their Google Meet times will adjust around the A and B groupings, similar to the first Quarter.  Teachers will be sending Google Calendar invites through their Google Classrooms before Monday.       

Distance Learning Schedules

We are still aware of the need to limit screen time for students, and provide small enough classes to ensure engagement online.   To do this, the 65-minute Hybrid classes will be cut in half to allow for 30 minute A and B groups to attend daily all classes daily online.  Keeping groups A and B means on screen time and class sizes are reduced.  As in the first quarter, teachers will send Google invites to students to be part of Group A and B.  See the schedule below.    

Student Support

The three lunches scheduled in the Hybrid model will be condensed to one for the Distance Learning.  The time saved will allow teachers to provide a half hour of student support at the end of the day.  This will allow teachers to hold open meeting times.  Students will be invited to attend support at the end of the day, or can join a meeting as needed. 

School Schedule

School will begin at 8:55 a.m. and dismiss at 4:00 p.m.  

The schedule for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday is as follows:

The Wednesday Distance Learning Schedule

Online Group

Attendance

Mountain Sky will take period attendance.  An outdial will be sent to parents after 10:30 for students who are not in attendance similar to a normal school year.  Additionally, there will be a courtesy out dial sent at the end of the day to notify parents if a student had missed at least one period during the day. 

If a student will not be attending class online, for whatever reason, parents still need to call the attendance line to report the absence.  (602) 896-6121.

ParentVue, the School Website, the WESD Website

We ask that parents continue to follow their student’s progress online through ParentVue.  Through ParentVue, parents can see teachers’ gradebooks, their student’s attendance, and any announcements made by teachers. 

The school website and WESD Website will be used to convey all major developments. 

If you have questions about how to connect to ParentVue please call the office (602) 896-6100.

The Virtual School Day

• Each day will begin with all students logging into Advisory (zero period on their schedules) at 8:55 am.  There will be The Pledge, announcements and Social Emotional Lessons   
• After Advisory, students will begin logging into their Core and Elective classes as assigned to them on their schedule. 
• A lunch break will be provided from 12:05 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. for both 7^th and 8^th grade students daily. 
• Student support time will begin after 7^th or 8^th periods at 3:30 p.m. daily. 
• All online activity will end by 4:00 p.m.